Night and day, Virginia Woolf's second novel, is both a love story and a social comedy in the tradition of Jane Austen; yet it also questions that tradition, recognizing that the goals of society and the individual may not necessarily coincide. At its center is Katharine Hilbery, the beautiful grand-daughter of a great Victorian poet. She must choose between becoming engaged to the oddly prosaic poet William Rodney and her attraction to Ralph Denham, with whom she feels a more profound and disturbing affinity. Katharine's hesitation is vividly contrasted with the approach of her friend Mary Datchet, dedicated to the Women's Rights movement.
Adaptations (1)
Night and Day was adapted into a 2026 film.
Virginia Woolf's Night and Day2026 · film · 95 min · dir. Tina Gharavi · IMDb ↗In 1910 London, independent-minded Katharine Hilbery defies her family's expectations of marriage to pursue a career in astronomy. But when her father pressures her into an unwanted engagement, her resolve is tested. Through new friendships—including a bold suffragette and a thoughtful editor—Katharine begins to question the limits placed on her by society, love, and tradition, ultimately searching for a path that is truly her own.
